Patent Application
20080200688
The present invention relates to lead-free primary explosives.
Explosives are categorized as primary or secondary based on their susceptibility to initiation. Primary explosives are highly susceptible to initiation and are used in small quantities to ignite secondary explosives, main charges, propellants, or fuel. Requirements for primary explosives include sufficient sensitivity to be detonated reliably while not being exceedingly dangerous to handle as well as sufficient thermal stability to not decompose on extended storage or thermal insult.
Two common primary explosives are lead azide and lead styphnate, but both emit toxic lead upon detonation. Because of this toxic residue, the development of a lead-free primary explosive is needed.
The present invention discloses novel lead-free compounds and syntheses thereof. More particularly, the present invention is directed to compounds of the formula [MII(A)R(BX)S](CY)T and syntheses thereof, wherein
M is selected from the group consisting of
A is 1,5-diaminotetrazole (“DAT”);
B is selected from the group consisting of
C is selected from the group consisting of
R is 5 or 6;
S is 0 or 1;
T is 1 or 2;
X is 0 or −1;
Y is −1 or −2;
X+Y=−2; and
R+S=6.
The above compound can be prepared according to the reaction [MII(H2O)6]D2+R(A)+S(BX)+T(CY)→[MII(A)R(BX)S](CY)T wherein
M is selected from the group consisting of
A is DAT;
B is selected from the group consisting of
C is selected from the group consisting of
D is selected from the group consisting of
R is 5 or 6;
S is 0 or 1;
T is 1 or 2;
X is 0 or −1;
Y is −1 or −2;
X+Y=−2; and
R+S=6
as follows:
The present invention is directed to compounds of the formula [MII(A)R(BX)S](CY)T and syntheses thereof, wherein
M is selected from the group consisting of
A is DAT;
B is selected from the group consisting of
C is selected from the group consisting of
R is 5 or 6;
S is 0 or 1;
T is 1 or 2;
X is 0 or −1;
Y is −1 or −2;
X+Y=−2; and
R+S=6.
The above compound can be prepared according to the reaction [MII(H2O)6]D2+R(A)+S(BX)+T(CY)→[MII(A)R(BX)S](CY)T wherein
M is selected from the group consisting of
A is DAT;
B is selected from the group consisting of
C is selected from the group consisting of
D is selected from the group consisting of
R is 5 or 6;
S is 0 or 1;
T is 1 or 2;
X is 0 or −1;
Y is −1 or −2;
X+Y=−2; and
R+S=6
as follows:
In step 1, a suitable solvent is an ethanolic solvent or an acidic ethanolic solvent (a mixture of absolute ethanol and two drops of acid with a pH measurement ranging from about 0 to about 2). In step 4, the second solution can be heated anywhere from about above room temperature to reflux and for a time in the range of from about 30 minutes to 3 hours or until the solution becomes colorless. In step 6, the third solution is preferably slowly cooled to 40° C. with gentle stirring, and then the third solution is allowed to cool to room temperature undisturbed. Gentle stirring can achieve small particle sizes for subsequent safe handling. Depending on the nature of CY, the ethanolic reaction solution may be reduced in volume, or the temperature is lowered using an ice-bath to precipitate the compound.
Dangerous purification steps can be avoided by employing an absolute ethanolic solvent and stoichiometric equivalents of the reactants to form a nearly quantitative single product. An acidic solvent or excess quantity of any reactant might result in impurities.
Reference is now made in detail to four embodiments of the invention. These four embodiments are [CuII(DAT)5(H2O)](ClO4)2, [CuII(DAT)5(NO3)]NO3, [FeII(DAT)6](ClO4)2, and [CuII(DAT)6](ClO4)2 which may have the configurations shown in
The embodiment of [CuII(DAT)5(H2O)](ClO4)2 can be prepared by refluxing a solution of copper salt having the formula [CuII(H2O)6](ClO4)2 and 5 molar equivalents of DAT in a suitable solvent. The resulting precipitate is filtered and washed thoroughly with fresh, cold ethanol. The reaction gives nearly quantitative yield and an analytically pure product of [CuII(DAT)5(H2O)](ClO4)2 without additional recrystallization or purification.
The embodiment of [CuII(DAT)5(NO3)]NO3 can be prepared by refluxing a solution of a copper salt having the formula [CuII(H2O)6](NO3)2 and 5 molar equivalents of DAT in a suitable solvent. The resulting precipitate is filtered and washed thoroughly with fresh, cold ethanol. The reaction gives nearly quantitative yield and an analytically pure product of [CuII(DAT)5(NO3)](NO3) without additional recrystallization or purification.
The embodiment of [FeII(DAT)6](ClO4)2 can be prepared by refluxing a solution of an iron salt having the formula [FeII(H2O)6](ClO4)2 and 6 molar equivalents of DAT in a suitable solvent. The resulting precipitate is filtered and washed thoroughly with fresh, cold ethanol. The reaction gives nearly quantitative yield and an analytically pure product of [FeII(DAT)6](ClO4)2 without additional recrystallization or purification.
The embodiment of [CuII(DAT)6](ClO4)2 can be prepared by refluxing a solution of a copper salt having the formula [CuII(H2O)6](ClO4)2 and 6 molar equivalents of DAT in a suitable solvent. The resulting precipitate is filtered and washed thoroughly with fresh, cold ethanol. The reaction gives nearly quantitative yield and an analytically pure product of [CuII(DAT)6](ClO4)2 without additional recrystallization or purification.
A copper compound was prepared in accordance with the reaction [CuII(H2O)6](ClO4)2+5 DAT→[CuII(DAT)5(H2O)](ClO4)2 as follows:
Elemental analysis of the collected solid, as set forth in TABLE 1, showed the composition corresponds to [CuII(DAT)5(H2O)](ClO4)2.
The above-described synthesis yielded about 91% [CuII(DAT)5(H2O)](ClO4)2.
The density of the copper compound was 1.98 grams per cubic centimeter (“g/cm3”) using a liquid pycnometry technique. The thermal decomposition temperature was 224° C. (on a 5-7 microgram (“μg”) sample) as determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (“DSC”).
Explosive initiation data of the dry collected solid were as follows:
A copper compound was prepared in accordance with the reaction [CuII(H2O)6](NO3)2+5 DAT→[CuII(DAT)5(NO3)]NO3 as follows:
Elemental analysis of the collected solid, as set forth in TABLE 2, showed the composition corresponds to [CuII(DAT)5(NO3)]NO3.
The above-described synthesis yielded about 94% [CuII(DAT)5(NO3)]NO3.
The density of the copper compound was 2.08 g/cm3 using a liquid pycnometry technique. The thermal decomposition temperature was 228° C. (on a 7-8 μg sample) as determined by DSC.
Explosive initiation data of the dry collected solid were as follows:
An iron compound was prepared in accordance with the reaction [FeII(H2O)6](ClO4)2+6 DAT→[FeII(DAT)6](ClO4)2 as follows:
Elemental analysis of the collected solid, as set forth in TABLE 3, showed the composition corresponds to [FeII(DAT)6](ClO4)2.
The above-described synthesis yielded about 93% [FeII(DAT)6](ClO4)2.
The density of the iron compound was 2.03 g/cm3 using a liquid pycnometry technique. The thermal decomposition temperature was 194° C. (on a 4-5 μg sample) as determined by DSC.
Explosive initiation data of the dry collected solid were as follows:
A copper compound was prepared in accordance with the reaction [CuII(H2O)6](ClO4)2+6 DAT→[CuII(DAT)6](ClO4)2 in a manner similar to that described in EXAMPLE 1 for the preparation of [CuII(DAT)5(H2O)](ClO4)2 herein above, except that 6 molar equivalents of DAT are used in step (b).
Elemental analysis of the collected solid, as set forth in TABLE 4, showed the composition corresponds to [CuII(DAT)6](ClO4)2.
The above-described synthesis yielded about 94% [CuII(DAT)6](ClO4)2.
The density of the copper compound was 2.14 g/cm3 using a liquid pycnometry technique. The thermal decomposition temperature was 232° C. (on a 4-5 μg) as determined by DSC.
Explosive initiation data of the dry collected solid were as follows:
It is understood that the foregoing detailed description and examples are merely illustrative and are not to be taken as limitations upon the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims. Various changes and modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications, including without limitation those relating to chemical structures, syntheses, formulations and/or methods of use of the invention, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.
The United States government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC51-06NA25396 between the United States Department of Energy and Los Alamos National Security, LLC for the operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory.
